Women on Top

The goal in writing this blog is to highlight the significant yet often undervalued power young women and girls have in improving society. Each week, the blog will feature a young woman leader, an organization that empowers young women, and best practices for how young women can develop their leadership. I invite your input about what you'd like to read. Guest bloggers are most welcome! Thanks for reading and please help spread the word about the power of young women and girls!

[olearypd]

An Ode to My Mentor, Arnie Thomas

2012 Running Start Women to Watch Awards My mentor, life coach, and dear friend Arnie Thomas recently passed.  I would like to share with you some of the invaluable lessons he taught me.  I can't begin to share all the wisdom I gained from him, but hopefully you can learn a thing or two.  He wrote regularly for Everyday Mentor, and I highly recommend you read his direct words there. I hope someday you can find an amazing mentor like Arnie!  I pray that someday I can be an incredible mentor to someone else, the way he was to me.  Arnie touched the lives of many.   If you so feel compelled, I am sure Arnie and his family would be most grateful if you considered making a donation of any amount in his honor to Running Start, the organization that we served together on the board of directors.  I'm so grateful to Running Start for bringing Arnie into my life.  Thank you very much for giving back to Arnie's dream of empowering women leaders! What Arnie Taught Me "What Can I Do to Be of Service to You in the Future?" Arnie embodied Dale Carnegie's philosophy of putting yourself in someone else's shoes.  He taught me to always, without hope of personal gain, offer myself to help others.  When sending emails to others, he told me to end with the words, "Please always let me know how I can be of service to you in the future."  When interviewing for jobs, he encouraged me to ask the interviewer, "What is your biggest challenge?  How do you see me helping with that?"  Everyone has a challenge they are dealing with.  Try to figure out what that is and how you can assist them in that endeavor.  The best way to grow in your success and happiness is by helping others.  Together, we can make the world a better place.   Be Vulnerable One of my favorite Arnie lessons was when he encouraged me to listen to Brené Brown's Ted Talk about The Power of Vulnerability. Arnie taught me that to be vulnerable with others was a strength and not a weakness.  Be an Avid Reader Arnie was a demanding coach!  Each week, he gave me a book to read that we would then discuss.  Reading is one of the best ways to stay on top of trends and reflect on your growth.   Recognize Your Bad Habits & Cultivate New Habits One of the best books Arnie made me read was The Power Of Habit - Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg.  I now recognize my triggers for bad habits and how to create incentives to modify that behavior.   Classy is a State of Mind Arnie taught me that no matter where you come from in life, you have the choice to create new possibilities for yourself.  First and foremost you must respect yourself, and not settle to be treated any such less by others.  If others no long serve you in this way, you need to let them go.  You are not obligated to persist in unhealthy relationships.  How to Find a Mentor/Coach Arnie and I met while serving together on the board of Running Start, a national nonprofit preparing young women for political leadership.  I really liked him the moment I met him, and always knew I wanted to get to know him better.  At the time we met, I worked for a women's leadership nonprofit, and we were starting a mentoring program.  I knew he was an expert on mentoring, so I asked him to coffee and he shared his advice with me.  I then invited him to a networking reception for our organization.  I continued to see him at board meetings, and always smiled when I saw him.  He exuded positive energy. It wasn't until about a year after casually knowing him that we entered into a more formal mentoring relationship.  I had entered a period of significant personal and professional transition, and knew I needed help.  I was going through my mental Rolodex of my network to find support and Arnie came to my mind.  I asked him again to coffee to seek his wisdom on how to navigate this new hardship.  He suggested we work together formally and he offered to be my life coach.  For a period of about seven months, we met almost weekly in the halls of the Willard Hotel or at Bistro Bis. Arnie was always nothing but class! I can't emphasize enough the value of making the personal investment of time and money to work with a life coach.  I have had many other mentors and am indebted to them, but engaging in a formal, regular mentoring relationship through coaching yields different results.  For all the money you spend on yourself on Starbucks, clothes, and manicures, a more long lasting investment would be working with a coach!  You can only take yourself so far in your personal development.  You need the help of another to teach you what you don't know that you don't know. Arnie believed in me during a time when I did not believe in myself.  He taught me ways to be self-sufficient for my personal happiness and well being.  I couldn't be where I am today without his support.  In terms of choosing a coach, I recommend finding someone who shares your values, but also is distinctly different from you.  Like me, Arnie was a feminist, and also a Catholic.  However, I highly feel I benefited from working with a male coach.  I have always worked in female dominated workplaces, and the vast majority of my personal and professional network was female.  Having a trusted male perspective was extremely helpful! So if there are people in your life you admire, respect, and want to get to know better, just ask them to grab a coffee.  It could lead to a life changing mentoring relationship! 

http://womenontopblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/an-ode-to-my-mentor-arnie-thomas.html

[olearypd]

The Missed Opportunity: Bridging the Gap Between Girls' Education and Women’s Political Participation

    For the first time in modern history, in many countries around the globe such as Lebanon, Brazil, and the United States, women are graduating from universities and colleges at higher rates than their male peers.  However, a gender gap persists in parity between men and women in top leadership roles of all sectors of society such as business, law, and politics.  Higher education rates for women are often compared to higher labor force participation rates for women, but rarely is the gendered link between education and political participation examined.  Although a pipeline of educated women exists as potentially qualified candidates, this does not automatically translate into parity among elected leaders in parliaments.  With the upcoming UN Commission on the Status of Women, as the global community strives towards gender equality in the post-2015 agenda, governments, philanthropists, and activists should consider encouraging the civic engagement of young women and girls as a successful and innovative intervention strategy to breaking the glass ceiling for women’s political participation.

            Through Millennium Development Goal Three, the global community has made its commitment to gender equality in access to education, work, and participation in decision-making. Growing consensus in the development community confirms that a best practice for achieving progress toward development goals more efficiently and effectively is to channel investments in gender equality and female empowerment, citing various social and economic benefits that are accrued as both direct and indirect consequence of the advancement of women.  These include but are not limited to decreased violence and increased social stability; local, national and regional economic growth; more inclusive, accountable and transparent governance; improved nutrition and health outcomes for maternal, child and family health; higher education outcomes; more stable and sustainable population patterns; more effective peace agreements; and increased access to enjoyment of equality, dignity and rights.  Gender equality is imperative to achieving development outcomes.   

            As nations have made the decision to invest in the education of its girls, they should ensure these girls are adequately prepared to be leaders in their society and fully contribute their cultivated talents. These educated girls are capable of becoming leaders in the most influential arena in the world — the political arena.  As more women are in positions of power, research strongly demonstrates that social issues are prioritized. Some studies suggest that more women in government promotes higher levels of transparency, lower corruption, higher attention to social and constituent concerns, higher collaboration across lines of conflict and greater investment in development.   A democracy without women leaders is not a true democracy. 

            Scholars in the United States such as Jennifer Lawless and Richard Fox report that one of the most significant barriers to increasing the number of women in elected office is the gender gap in political ambition, and that this gap begins at the time women are studying at university.  Among surveys of equally qualified women and men, their research finds that women are much more unlikely to want to run for office. On average, women need to be asked by someone else to run for office five to seven times before they seriously consider their candidacy.  However, when women do run for office, data proves that women win at the same rates of male candidates.  Overall, a main problem is that not enough women are running for office.

            The key to strengthening and increasing women’s representation in government is to encourage young women and girls to get involved in civic engagement and elected to office earlier in life. The earlier a candidate begins to run for office, the better are his or her chances of climbing the political ladder faster.  Nineteen of the last presidents of the United States first ran for office before the age of 35.  Additionally, according to Running Start, over forty percent of the women who currently serve in Congress began their political careers by serving in student government in their youth.  When the path to achieve significant political influence and chair a committee is based on seniority, a candidate benefits from being elected when they are young.  The advantages of beginning a political career early in life cannot be underestimated.

            As the issues of girls' education and women’s political participation are revisited in the post-2015 agenda, the global development community should consider new intervention strategies to promote the civic engagement of young women and girls.  Where student government opportunities exist at universities, gender-specific training programs can be provided to encourage more young women to run for student government.   Where youth parliaments exist, efforts can be made to ensure equal access for girls such as mentoring programs, internships, and girls' caucuses.  More universities can create gender studies programs to give students the chance to analyze systemic and personal gender discrimination.  Political parties can design recruitment programs to develop young women as candidates and encourage them to run for local office.  At an early age, young women and girls need to be introduced to role models and skills to give them the confidence to assume political leadership. 

            Educating a girl needs to include a leadership development curriculum to empower her to serve her community.  Governments, foundations, and corporations have a tremendous opportunity to find innovative solutions to bridging the gap between girls education and women’s political participation, thus creating a more inclusive democracy for all citizens.  Young women and girls are the untapped, capable talent pool eager for the opportunity to solve the challenges of the post-2015 agenda.  

[olearypd]

The UN Recognizes the Power of Young Women and Girls!

    Today in New York City, UN Women and the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth held an event “Young Women and Girls: Leaders of Today for a Better Tomorrow.”  Panelists included Ms. Lakshmi Puri, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women, H.E. Ms. Bénédicte Frankinet, Permanent Representative of Belgium, H.E. Mr. Masood Khan, Permanent Representative of Pakistan, Ms. Stacy Martinet, Chief Marketing Officer, Mashable, Ms. Chapa Pereira, Youth Delegate from Sri Lanka, and Ms. Ralien Bekkers, Youth Delegate from the Netherlands, and Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth.  You can watch a recording of the event or join the conversation on Twitter by following #FutureYW.  

  Now is a special opportunity for young women and girls to share their voices in creating the international development agenda.  The world community is about to launch a global dialogue on the Post-2015 development agenda about what's next after the Millennium Development Goals.  Additionally, 2015 marks the anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, a turning point for the women's human rights movement.  Recently at an African Union Summit in January, young women and girls presented a statement about their vision for the future of Africa.  The UN is only beginning to witness the influence of young women and girls!

  I am grateful that todayUN entities honored the power of young women and girls! Moreover, I was very happy to see that young women and girls from both developed and developing countries were given the chance to share their voice as panelists.  Ralien Bekkers, Dutch Youth Representative on Sustainable Development, stressed the importance of including girls' voices in the dialogue in real time.  Chapa Perera, UN Youth Delegate from Sri Lanka emphasized that the starting point for addressing the challenges of women and girls is for these girls to empower themselves.  These ladies were brilliant and inspiring!

  Key takeaways from the discussion

We need to change gender stereotypes and the portrayal of women and girls in the media.

Men, boys, and girls' parents need to be involved and educated about the value of girls' empowerment.

Young women and girls need to have access to technology to gain an education and share their voice.

In addition to formal education, informal education programs need to be created to train young women and girls to achieve their leadership potential. (Elect Her and the Young Women's Political Leadership Program are my favorite examples of such trainings.)

Governments need to prioritize young women and girls in terms of funding, policies, and laws.

Violence against women and girls and limited reproductive rights continue to be barriers to the advancement of young women and girls.

Through building their own confidence, young women and girls can be active agents of change.  They do not need to wait to be empowered by others.

Check out these opportunities to get involved

Participate in the 2014 World Conference on Youth in Sri Lanka

Join the global partnership for youth in the post-2015 development agenda

[olearypd]

The 'Not Buying It' App

Check out The Representation Project The 'Not Buying It' App: Challenging Sexist Media!  Download it before the Super Bowl!  #brilliant #POWER https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/notbuyingit/id799844884?ls=1&mt=8

[olearypd]

So You Want to Join a Nonprofit Board?

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holiday season.  As I talked with girlfriends about their New Year's resolutions, many of them mentioned wanting to give back to their community, and I suggested these women join nonprofit boards.  The process of joining a nonprofit board can be very confusing, so I seek to clarify that here.  You are never too young to join a nonprofit board.  At this moment, you have valuable skills that many nonprofits desperately need. So what is a nonprofit board?   The board of directors of a nonprofit is basically the governing body of a nonprofit organization.  They provide the strategic oversight to ensure the long-term fulfillment of the organization's mission.  Unlike corporate boards, board members of a nonprofit are usually not compensated financially.  In fact, most often, nonprofit board members are expected to donate a certain amount annually, in the idea of "write" or "raise."  For example, an organization may ask you to personally "write" an annual donation, or "raise" that amount through your personal and professional networks. The board members are ultimately financially and legally responsible for the organization.  In most organizations, they work with paid staff members to guide the organization through growth and transition.  But don't worry, nonprofits have Directors & Officers insurance (D&O) to protect individual members from financial or legal harm.  So when joining a board, ask about their D &O.  As a board member, you are expected to support the organization in a number of ways.  You will be asked to attend regular board meetings, often on a quarterly basis.  You may join a specific board committee to contribute your skill set with the organization.  You may be asked to attend program events to support the organization, and possibly host events to recruit your network to get involved with the organization.  As mentioned above, fundraising is one of the most important requirements of a board member.  But don't be afraid, there are many different ways to raise money, and this is an invaluable professional skill transferable to all trades. Why should I join a board? The number one reason to join a nonprofit board is because you care about the cause the organization serves.  You want to give back.  Did you love running clubs in school?  Did you love volunteering and getting involved with your community?  Then your next step is to join a nonprofit board. In addition to helping others, serving on a nonprofit board has tremendous professional benefits.  Look at the biographies for people you admire.  I bet you they probably have board service included in their bio.  Boards can also allow you to develop skills you may not be able to get in your day job.  You can explore new passions, expand your network, and gain transferable leadership experience.  As you progress in your career, I'm sure you will want to join the board of large, prestigious organizations.  To get there, you need to start now. How do I join a board?  As with many things in life, networking is key to joining a nonprofit board. I was 24 when I first joined a nonprofit board.  The year before I officially joined the board, I ran for a seat on the board of the Women's Information Networkand lost the election.  I stayed involved with the organization, took on volunteer leadership roles, and won my election the next year.  Since that experience, I have served on many other boards, and I am proud to currently serve on the board of Running Start, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering young women to run for office. For all of these opportunities, I was previously involved with the organization.  I joined one organization as a volunteer grant writer, and three years later joined the board.   With another organization, I invited someone from the organization to be a guest speaker where I worked, and they then invited me to be a guest speaker for their organization.  Many organizations working with youth or young professionals are very willing to have younger people serve on their boards.  However, even larger organizations are seeking to recruit diverse talent, and are eager for young professionals to serve on their board. So for some organizations, you need to run for a position, but for others, you need to be recommended by a current board member.  It helps to have donation history with the organization.  When you are a board candidate, they will check if you have been giving to the organization for some time.  So even if it's $20 a year or monthly, start donating now. What organizations are you currently connected to?  What can be a next step for you to get more involved?  What organizations are you not currently connected to but would like to learn more about?  Sign up for their newsletter or attend one of their events.  Talk to your friends and colleagues who serve on boards for their advice.  Check out Board Net USA, which listscurrent board vacancies.  You are qualified now to serve on a board.  Young people are very underrepresented on nonprofit boards, but we have so many skills and experiences to share.  As you start the New Year, make time for volunteering and giving back to your community!   Additional resources to check out: BoardSource Volunteer Match National Council of Nonprofits Idealist The Bridgespan Group

[olearypd]

Must Read: I am Malala

My favorite book I’ve read this year has to be I am Malala. I highly recommend you read it! I couldn’t put it down.

As an American, every day we hear about terrorism and the growing tension between our country and Pakistan. Malala’s book does an excellent job at painting a detailed landscape of what it’s like to daily live with the Taliban in your neighborhood. With so much misunderstanding in our culture about Islam, Malala a devout Muslim, defends her faith yet criticizes the complexities of how it’s manifested in her world. American readers can gain a better understanding of Pakistan, Islam, and more importantly our nation’s need to seriously evaluate our use of drones.

I believe in Malala’s vision of education for girls and boys everywhere. This is absolutely possible. It’s not a disease in need of a cure. It’s a societal problem that the world has the capacity to solve.

We can all play our part in that solution. First, educate yourself and learn from Malala’s story. Read her book. She co-founded an organization The Malala Fund so you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter and make a donation. You can also support local girls in your community as a volunteer.

Happy Holidays and thanks so much for reading this blog! Cheers to the power of young women and girls!

[olearypd]

So You Want to Write an Op-Ed?

I recently had the exciting opportunity of publishing an op-ed in The Los Angles Times.  I am deeply grateful for the amazing collaboration with my co-author Shauna Shames.   I am also incredibly grateful to Linda Forman-Naval for her political astuteness and to the Scholars Strategy Network for being the premier place to bridge the gap between academic research and policy decision-making.

     I hope you are thinking of op-ed writing!   You have valuable opinions that deserve to be heard. More voices of people from diverse backgrounds need to share their ideas through op-ed writing.  According to the Op-Ed Project, men are80-90% of contributors to key opinion forums; 84% of T.V. pundits on Sunday morning talk shows; and 87% of Wikipedia contributors.  More women's voices need to be in these spaces! 

     So how do you publish an op-ed?  My first suggestion is to get some formal training.  I am an alumna of the Op-Ed Project and Progressive Women’sVoices.  Both are training programs that empower women to find their voices and give them the technical skills to share their message.  I can’t emphasize enough how crucial these programs were for me to demystify the media pitching process, and to believe in the possibility of actually getting my voice heard.   If you are currently in school, see if you can take a writing class.  If you are a young professional, many professional membership organizations offer media training opportunities. 

Own Your Expertise

     You are an expert!  Believe it!  Own it! Each of us has our own story.  Due to our various life experiences, we see the world in a unique way.  We have different ways of understanding what is happening around us.  You are never too old or too young to write an op-ed.  Who better to comment on higher education debate than a college student? When you write your op-ed, make sure to proudly declare what makes you a credible thought leader on this topic. 

Find Your News Hook

     One of the most important aspects of what makes op-ed writing different than other forms of writing is timeliness.  A media outlet wants to publish op-eds that are relevant to what is currently happening in the news.  How do you connect your idea to what’s going on in the world at this specific moment?   I published my first op-ed earlier this year.  I felt very strongly about the article giving advice to young women in Princeton’s and Harvard’s campus newspapers.  I took the opportunity to write a similar article for the newspaper for my alma mater.  Similarly, Shauna and I used the hook of JFK’s anniversary.  Timeliness is key!

Try, Try, and Try Again

      I first took the Op-Ed Project training in 2011.  I have been pitching op-eds for about two years.  I have had many rejections, but I didn’t give up.  You need to just start writing, try pitching, and be resilient. 

     I am always eager for guest bloggers to contribute to Women on Top.  You can write about any topic of your choice, broadly related to the power of young women and girls.  Please email me [email protected] if you are interested in writing. 

     Happy writing!  Your voice is valuable and deserves to be heard! 

[theblackram]

Okay, so I wrote up this giant thing about why I feel like the Little Mermaid is a feminist film. It is very long. I also swear a lot. Under the cut!

Read More

[eattherich73]

I agree with this. I’ve written about the Little Mermaid a lot. I do think Ariel is a feminist character and a...

[olearypd]

Elect Her!

Last week, I had the exciting opportunity to facilitate an Elect Her training at the University of Louisville. Elect Her – Campus Women Win is the only program in the country that encourages and trains college women to run for student government and future political office.  Elect Her is a nonpartisan collaboration between the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and Running Start.

  The earlier a candidate begins to run for office, the better are his or her chances of climbing the political ladder faster. Twelve of the last nineteen U.S. presidents started their political careers before age 35. When the path to achieve significant political influence and chair a committee is based on seniority, a candidate benefits from being elected when they are young. Additionally, over forty percent of the women who currently serve in Congress began their political careers by serving in student government in their youth. 

  A recent study by Jennifer Lawless and Richard Fox showed that the gender gap in political ambition is evident in college students.  My personal experience concurs with their research. Ten years ago at UC Berkeley, I ran for External Affairs Vice President.  I had over 2,000 votes, but lost by 72.  I considered it the greatest failure of my young adult life.  Ultimately, I feel I lost because I didn't believe in myself.  I wish I had the opportunity to gain confidence through a program like Elect Her.  

  Regardless, running for student government was one of the most transformative leadership experiences I have ever had. I expanded my comfort zone in ways I never thought were possible.  I gained valuable public speaking experience.  I learned how to network and present myself professionally.  I built relationships with people who are still my best friends ten years later.  Win or lose, running for student government is a leadership endeavor more young women need to pursue. 

  2013 Elect Her by the Numbers

88 percent of the 2013 participants who ran for student government president WON! 

20 percent more students plan to run for student government and political office.  

100 percent of participants reported that they would recommend Elect Her to a friend.

[olearypd]

Ten Years Ago Today I Realized My Vocation

 *The following may contain triggering language to survivors of violence* As I get dressed up to go out and celebrate Halloween tonight, I sadly remember how after a night of similar festivities ten years ago changed my life forevermore.... Ten years ago, I awoke to my passion in life.  I realized my vocation was feminism.  For the past ten years, I have dedicated my career and personal mission to advancing the status of women in the world.  For the next decades of my life, I vow to continue to strive for those goals. I was a sophomore and the fall of 2003 was my first semester being a resident assistant (RA).  On Saturday night, the all male dorm had a Halloween party. I was not officially on RA duty that night, but I went to celebrate.  I saw two of my female residents at the party and talked to them.  When I saw them again on Sunday morning, all of our lives changed. I don't remember exactly how I was notified, but on Sunday morning, I was informed that two of my female residents were raped that following night.  I was close with these two women.  I knocked on their door, and walked into a dark room of heavy sadness.  The two rape survivors and a few of their close friends were sitting on the floor in silence.  The lights were off.  It felt as if someone had died and we had just come from a funeral. I sat down on the floor with them.  All I could do was just sit there and be with them.  Eventually, they shared their tragic details with me. The women had been to the hospital, but one of them was still in pain.  Official RA policy restricted me from personally driving her in my car to the hospital.  But, I called up the RA chain and was given permission to go back to the hospital with them.  I waited for her in the emergency room. I was in shock.  I was overwhelmed.  This was the first time in my life I was exposed to the violence women and girls disproportionately experience due to their sex.  How did this happen?  I knew one of the perpetrators.  He was in one of my classes, and I frequently had to see him after this case.  I don't think he knew I was involved with his situation.  He seemed like a good guy before this happened. I was shocked he was the rapist. There was only so much I could do to help these two survivors.  The police were not helpful, and the women did not feel supported as they were interrogated.  How did I live in a world where such violence was a common reality? Sadly, I soon found out that many of my other girlfriends and sorority sisters were also survivors of rape and sexual assault.  I felt deeply compelled to do something about this issue.  After this experience,  all of my volunteer and extracurricular activities were related to feminism.  I should have been a gender studies major, but ended up pursuing an M.A. in Applied Women's Studies at Claremont Graduate University.  The past seven years of my career have been working in the field of gender equality. Earlier this week, I met up with a girlfriend in her early twenties who is trying to figure out her passion in life.  I shared this story with her.  For better or worst, through this experience, I clearly found my passion in life.  I am deeply grateful to these rape survivors and all the others who have shared their story with me.  I am so inspired by the incredible power survivors have to reclaim their lives and not give up.  For those still searching for your passion in life, that's OK.  Be patient.  You never know where or when you will learn what it is.  I suggest volunteering or getting involved with different organizations and causes.  You need to learn what you hate to help figure out what you love.  Take new classes, and try to learn new skills.   Check out this previous blog post to find more resources for discovering your passion. I can't help but end on an uplifting, perhaps cheesy note.  This video by Beyonce on World Humanitarian Day at the United Nations is one of the most inspiring videos I have ever seen.  I wish you all the best in finding and living your passion! Resources for Rape and Sexual Assault  Rape and Incest National Network Bay Area Women Against Rape (the organization that provided resources to these survivors, and that I eventually volunteered with) Break the Cycle HollaBack  V-Day  National Network to End Domestic Violence

[olearypd]

Master Self-Care #FemFuture

What does self-care mean to you?  Where did you learn how to do this?  How do you effectively practice self-care?  How does your community provide care, or how do you provide care for your community?

These are all great questions I got to explore this weekend with a group of fellow young feminist activists at the FemFuture Retreat at the Omega Institute.  FemFuture defines itself as "an experiment in movement-building that develops solutions for sustainability and impact in 21st century feminism."  FemFuture is led by young women Courtney Martin, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, Vanessa Valenti, and Jamia Wilson.  I encourage you to check out their report about The Future of Online Feminism and their recommendations for building a more sustainable feminist movement. Also, read this great article about self-care by the weekend's amazingly talented facilitator Adrienne Maree. 

I can't agree more with FemFuture about the need to insert the topic of self-care into conversations about the evolution of the feminist movement.  Activist burnout is real.  Sadly, so many "feminist" and "women's organizations" are notorious for underpaying and overworking their staff.  In the world of online feminism, even behind the layer of the Internet, activists are brutally attacked.  When the world is rapidly moving towards further discrimination and oppression, feminists activists need to be strong and supported, not burnout and abandoned.

Below are some of my main takeaways from the weekend.  Please add your ideas about what works best for you.  Stay tuned as FemFuture continues to evolve and follow the conversation online via #FemFuture. I'm very grateful to the organizers, my fellow participants, and the Omega Institute for the amazing opportunity to have participated in such a transformative event! Cheer to self-care (that may or may not include a glass of wine)!

Best Practices for Self-Care

Regular Exercise                                                   

Healthy Eating and Proper Hydration

Deep Breathing

Meditation 

Overcome Any Fear in Asking for Help

Give Yourself Daily Validation, "What am I most proud of from today?"

Give Support to Others

Active Listening 

Spending Time in Nature

Have a Self-Care Buddy to Hold Each Other Accountable (daily text each other about how you practiced or did not practice self-care, do this for a week/month/six-months/etc)

Going on a Walk

Journal Writing

Therapy (The Women's Center in DC offers affordable counseling services)

Take a Landmark Education class

Spending Time with Friends

Checking in with a Mentor or Coach

Learning a New Hobby 

Use Vacation Time

Going to the Movies or Shopping

Read a Book 

Create a Self-Care Fund for Yourself 

Art Projects 

Articulating Your Needs for Yourself and Others

Incorporating Play into Your Day

Unplug from your Phone and Computer

Get Grounded through your Senses (smell, touch, sounds, texture, etc)

Bubble Baths, Massages, Mani/Pedi

Maintaining a Spiritual Practice

Get Rid of Habits, Structures, or People that No Longer Serve You

Find Healthy Ways to Get Rid of Your Anger Such as Boxing

Consider Alternative Healing Options 

Create Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Annual Strategies and Practices and Ways to Hold Yourself Accountable  

[olearypd]

Happy Day of the Girl!

Tomorrow, October 11th is Day of the Girl!  Cheers to the power of girls!  How will you celebrate? In 2011, the UN General Assembly declared October 11th as the International Day of the Girl Child to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.  This year’s theme is focused on “Innovating for Girls’ Education.” 

  According to the United Nations,

“There is … overwhelming evidence that girls’ education, especially at the secondary level, is a powerful transformative force for societies and girls themselves: it is the one consistent positive determinant of practically every desired development outcome, from reductions in mortality and fertility, to poverty reduction and equitable growth, to social norm change and democratization.”

“The 2013 International Day of the Girl Child will address the importance of new technology, but also innovation in partnerships, policies, resource utilization, community mobilization, and most of all, the engagement of young people themselves.”

 World leaders have recognized that girls are a major target group to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  Goal 3 is completely dedicated to promoting gender equality and empowerment, and Goal 2 is about achieving universal primary education, with a special emphasis on girls. If you haven’t already watched it, I highly recommend you watch this quick video about the “Girl Effect.” In short, the Girl Effect is about the power of leveraging the unique potential of adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves, their families, their communities, their countries and the world.  A great film recently came out called “Girls Rising” that illuminates the heart wrenching challenges girls face around the world, but highlights girl leaders who are overcoming the odds of poverty, human trafficking, and lack of education.

            My favorite nonprofit organization empowering girl leaders is Running Start, which trains high school girls and young women to run for office.  The earlier you give a girl the skills and confidence to start her leadership, the faster she will climb the ladder to success.  Investing in young women and girls is the most underutilized but proven strategy for breaking the glass ceiling.  

  Together, we can all work together to give girls a better shot at life.  Below are some ideas of how you can empower girls.  Please share your stories of helping girls grow and succeed!

YOU can make a difference for girls!

  Mentor or tutor a girl

Volunteer or donate to an organization dedicated to empowering girls such as Running Start, Ignite, Girl Scouts, Girls Inc., etc.

Encourage a girl to share her voice and raise her hand

Organize a Day of the Girl event next year

[olearypd]

What is Your Community?

What is feminism? What is a feminist community?  Do you identify as a feminist? I proudly identify as a feminist, and would only be where I am today because of the incredible feminist communities that have supported me along the way.  Interestingly, the Feminist Majority Foundation bases its namesake in the fact the majority of United States population identifies as a feminist.

The beauty and the downfall of feminism is that it allows itself to multiple interpretations.  My personal definition of feminism seeks to end all forms of oppression and discrimination.  Feminism uses gender and sex as a foundational analysis to understand discrimination. Additionally, once such discrimination is fully understood, feminism requires action to end said discrimination.  However, feminism does not just advocate to end sexism or achieve gender equality.  Feminism seeks to end racism, ablelism, ageism, heterosexism, classism, etc.   Feminism creates a world of new possibility and equality for all.   What is your personal definition of feminism?

From my perspective a feminist community is a compassionate, safe space where one can be their authentic self.   People share their vulnerabilities with each other.  But moreover, we help create growth solutions together.  We challenge and support each other in our personal journeys, as well as our quest to make society more equal for all.  People from diverse backgrounds and of all genders feel welcome to learn together.  People do not feel judged or guilty for being who they are. Feminist communities listen to each other, and also discuss divergent viewpoints in a constructive manner.   What is your feminist community?  Or, if you don’t identify as a feminist, what is your community where you feel supported by others who share your values?

Participating in feminist communities has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth.  Fortunately, a strong feminist community is thriving in our nation’s capital.  Click here to see a list of women’s organizations in DC you can join and please feel free to suggest others.  If you don’t live in DC, many of these organizations have chapters in cities around the country so check out if there is one near you. I am honored to have been selected to participate in the 2013 FemFuture retreat and look forward to creating a new feminist community soon!

[olearypd]

Back to School for Everyone

Now that we are fully in the back to school mode, what does that phrase mean to you?  Have you started your undergraduate or graduate degree?  Have your kids gone back to school?  Are you studying for the GRE, LSAT, or GMAT in hopes of applying to graduate school this year?  Are you preparing for your architectural exams?  Are you thinking of finishing your degree?  Back to school can mean many different things to many people.  How are you pursuing continual education, either formally or informally?  We are never too young or too old to learn new things.  Have you wanted to learn a new skill or language?  Below are some ideas on how you can continuously learn and grow.  Take advantage of this time to create new opportunities for yourself.  Please post additional comments on how you're going back to school! 10 Ideas on Going "Back to School"

Take a class.  Check out free online courses such as Coursera or Udacity. Does your city offer free or affordable classes at recreation centers? 

Learn a new language.  In the Washington, DC area, I have taken affordable language classes through the Graduate School and the GLN.

Join a professional membership organization.  Click here for a list of DC women's professional organizations.  Do a Google search for organizations in your area.  Search "women" and your specific interest such as "government relations."  Or, do a search for "young professional" and your specific interest.

Join a book club. 

Join a Meetup group near youto explore new interests and meet people who share your passion.

Go to your local library and check out some free books!

Participate in webinars and join listservs to stay current in your field.  Click here for a list of nonprofit career resources.

Find a mentor or career/life coach who can help guide you through your next step.  Also consider how you can mentor someone else.  Mentoring is up, down, and all around.  You are never too old or too young to be a mentor, and to be mentored.

Pick up a new hobby.  I took affordable golf classes in DC through DC Golf.

Visit a museum.  Learn more about history in your area.

http://womenontopblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/back-to-school.html

[olearypd]

Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the March

Pamela O'Leary, Julian Bond, and Tyrik McKeiver

Last week, I had the amazing opportunity to attend the 50th anniversary events for the March on Washington. These are events I will remember as long as I live. I believe it's incredibly important to have events like to this to commemorate how far we have come, but also to make a call to action for what still needs to be done.  I asked my classes at American University and Trinity Washington University two main discussion questions.

  If you were in your same position in life fifty years ago, would you have attended the March on Washington? Why or why not?

  Fifty years from now, what will the 100th Anniversary of the March on Washington look like? Will it merely be a commemoration or still be a call to action?

  Think hard about these questions. Discuss them with your friends and colleagues. Personally, I hope I would have taken the risk, stood for my values, and marched 50 years ago. I pray I will be able to attend the March again 50 years from now. Sadly, I don't think full equality will be realized, and many communities will still be fighting for their rights. I imagine the Latino community will have a dominant presence at the 100th anniversary. I also believe the LGBTQ community will hopefully no longer be fighting for marriage equality, but will still be fighting against many forms of injustice. As our environment continues to degrade, I envision various forms of access to quality air and water may further divide the American public, so environmental justice will be an issue at the 100th Anniversary.

Change takes a long time. The fight for women's right to vote in America began in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention. Seventy-two years later in 1920, women in America finally won the right to vote.

What will you march for today? What will you march for in the future? I'm grateful for everyone who marched 50 years ago, and those who carry the torch today.

http://womenontopblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/reflections-on-50th-anniversary-of-march.html

[olearypd]

Young Women Gave Us the Right to Vote

Women's Suffrage Monument in the Rotunda 

Ninety-three years ago today, women in American finally won the right to vote.  On August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution became law and declared "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."  To date, the Equal Rights Amendment has not passed, so the Nineteenth Amendment is the only Constitutional protection explicitly including the term "sex." The fight for women's right to vote began in 1848 when Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott organized the Seneca Falls Convention.  However, it took 72 years of activism to successfully achieve suffrage.  Young women such as Alice Paul and Lucy Burns carried the torch that Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony first lit. Alice Paul and Lucy Burns were American students who met in London while protesting with the Pankhursts, Britain's suffrage movement.  They were inspired by the militant tactics of the Pankhursts which included mass public protesting.  Upon returning to the United States, they joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).  NAWSA was using traditional lobbying methods to advocate for suffrage.  Alice and Lucy thought these strategies were ineffective, so split and formed the NWP. If you pass by the White House today, seeing protestors in front of it is a common sight.  However, the first political organization in the United States to picket the White House was the National Woman's Party (NWP), founded by young Alice Paul.  The NWP still exists today and you can become a member! The women picketing the White House used nonviolence, and stood for hours in the cold, well dressed, holding banners with political messages.  At first President Wilson tolerated them, but not once the nation moved into World War I. Alice, Lucy, and the young women leaders of the NWP decided to still picket even through the country was at war.  Not much later, the suffragists were arrested on the bogus grounds of obstructing traffic. The women were sent to the Occoquan Workhouse where they were treated poorly as common criminals.  The prisoners, including Alice and Lucy, went on extended hunger strikes.  They were violently force fed, with tubes painfully shoved down their throats.  Once the public learned of this brutality, Wilson had no choice but to support suffrage.  While not entirely historically accurate, a recommended film to learn more about this is Iron Jawed Angels featuring Hillary Swank.  You can also visit the Sewall-Belmont House & Museum in DC or the Alice Paul Institute in New Jersey to learn more about Alice Paul. Thanks to the sacrifice of young women activists such as Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, YOU can vote! Women in America have only been able to vote for less than 100 years, so use your right and vote in all elections, from municipal to presidential. Alice Paul was 35 years old when the Nineteenth Amendment passed.  Alice and Lucy are role models to show us you do not need to wait until you finish school or have decades of experience to start changing your country and the world.  The fight for women's equality is not complete.  What torch will our generation carry?  The movement begins today!

http://womenontopblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/young-women-gave-us-right-to-vote.html

[olearypd]

So You Want to Be an Adjunct Professor?

Last year, I had the great honor to become an adjunct professor at American University and Trinity Washington University.  This semester, I am excited to teach "Gender, Power, and Politics" at American University and "Women and Leadership" at Trinity Washington University.  So what exactly is an adjunct professor and how do you become one?  From an undergraduate student's perspective, they generally don't know the difference between full time or adjunct faculty members.  Basically, an adjunct professor is a part-time professor who is not on the tenure track.  You are hired to teach a certain class for one semester, and are not necessarily guaranteed future employment. You generally do not receive benefits and most adjuncts are paid less than $5,000 per class.  For all the hours you spend teaching, grading, planning, and doing office hours, this is a job you do for the love of it rather than for money.  However, the adjuncts at American University recently unionized, so I am excited to learn more about the potential professional development opportunities and pay increases I can receive.   As universities and colleges nationwide are experiencing budget cuts, more and more school are hiring adjuncts, so more teaching opportunities exist for your taking.  Know What You Want As with anything in life, I strongly believe in the power of knowing what you want far in advance of it actually happening.  For many of life's great accomplishments, you must dream your dream for many years, and take baby steps along the way to build your path. For example, in graduate school, I always knew I eventually wanted to teach, and participated in my school's Preparing Future Faculty program.  Know the Right People I knew that many Washington, DC schools had adjunct opportunities, but I just didn't know how to connect to them, and thought I had to wait until I was older with more experience. However, one day I randomly received an email from a friend who used to teach saying her school needed someone last minute.  I asked if you needed a PhD, or just a master's.  She said all you needed was a master's degree.  She recommended me, I quickly interviewed, my experience spoke for itself, and I was quickly hired. My other teaching opportunity randomly came through LinkedIn.  A professor I did not know invited me to speak to her class.  The students ranked me as their favorite guest speaker that semester.  The professor and I began a professional relationship, and she gave me free executive coaching.  When she was thinking about creating a new class, she invited me to teach it. All of my friends who are adjuncts without a PhD all knew someone where they applied, and did not apply cold.  The chair of a department generally does the hiring, so they are the right people to know.  If you are not yet connected to an academic community, create those relationships now.  Go to events on campus.  Offer to be a guest speaker.  Meet with professors for informational interviews.  Introduce yourself to department chairs months before the semester starts and suggest classes you can teach. Also know that any adjunct opportunities arise right before a semester starts.  Look through the schedule of classes.  If a class does not have a professor's name attached to it, they are probably still looking for someone to teach it. Know Your Stuff So in addition to knowing what you want and knowing the right people, to be an adjunct, you have to know your stuff!  You really need to be an expert in your field.  You generally have a have a relevant graduate degree.  I have an M.A. in Applied Women's Studies.  Prior teaching experience or working with students is valued.  Publications definitely help.  As academia begins to value scholar practitioners more and more, having significant professional experience and demonstrated leadership in your field is important.  Own your expertise! I became an adjunct professor when I was 28.  You don't have to wait until you have decades of work experience to become an adjunct professor.  While it is a demanding job, teaching is one of the most rewarding professions.  Higher education needs more committed people wanting to teach! More information about adjunct professors: Adjunct Nation Adjunct Project

http://womenontopblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/so-you-want-to-be-adjunct-professor.html